Charleston, SC. – March 4, 2012 – Scarlett A. Wilson, Solicitor for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, today officially announced her plans to seek a second term. The 19-year courtroom veteran has used her position as Solicitor to highlight issues and has partnered with others who serve the community to help make Charleston and Berkeley Counties better and safer places to live and work.

“I understand the necessity of the “ultimate punishment” and created a ‘Murder Docket’ so that murder cases are constantly being resolved. These cases are handled with both integrity and compassion,” said Solicitor Wilson. “I’ve worked with local law enforcement leaders and elected officials to improve criminal laws and to push for legislative help in stopping the revolving door for career offenders who repeatedly violate the law.”

Wilson, known as a proven prosecutor with proven leadership, has increased murder and rape convictions by double digits. She obtained Charleston County’s first death penalty conviction in over a decade in Charleston County. Convictions at trial have increased in Charleston County and have more than doubled in Berkeley County since being elected.

Solicitor Wilson created a ‘Special Victim’s Unit’ to exclusively handle cases involving children and vulnerable adults. Wilson recognized that children who are exposed to domestic violence more often suffer many developmental problems, and are much more likely to engage in criminal behavior themselves. She teamed up with the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center to enact over 30 recommendations for the community and law enforcement to better protect children from CDV. She also worked closely with leaders at MUSC to revamp their sexual assault nurses program and continues to develop training with MUSC for law enforcement. Wilson initiated the first ‘Veterans Treatment Court’ in South Carolina and one of the few in the nation. She created the ‘Worthless Check Unit’ to address concerns by the business community that is often plagued with criminals who choose to steal with the stroke of pen. As a result of her program, more than one million dollars in restitution has been returned to local business owners.

A native of Hemingway, South Carolina, Wilson graduated from Clemson University in 1989 and from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1992. She then spent a year clerking for the Honorable Don S. Rushing. Since 1993, Wilson’s career has revolved entirely around the prosecution of criminals, including several years as a federal prosecutor where she was a joint winner of the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance by an Assistant United States Attorney. After serving as Chief Deputy Solicitor, Wilson was appointed Solicitor following the death of the former Solicitor Ralph Hoisington in 2007. In 2008 –with nearly 60% of the vote, Wilson was elected as Ninth Circuit Solicitor. Recently, she received the 2011 Solicitor of the Year award from the South Carolina’s Law Enforcement Victim’s Association.